What to Expect During and After Your Discectomy

Back pain can stem from several different problems — from strained muscles to vertebral fractures, the pain can interfere with your life. Herniated discs are often a cause of unbearable back pain, and conservative treatments don’t always bring suitable relief. In this case, you may need to undergo a procedure known as a discectomy.

At Vital Orthopedic & Spine Institute, located in both Pompano Beach and Fort Myers, Florida, our team offers a wide variety of treatments for orthopedic conditions, including back pain. Leading our team are two expert surgeons — Dr. Robere Missirian, MD and Dr. Asif Shafiq, DO. Specializing in both orthopedics and neurosurgery, respectively, Drs. Missirian and Shafiq offer surgical relief for a number of issues.

Why do you need a discectomy?

Your spine is a complex structure whose main goal is to protect your spinal cord and allow you to move. There are several different components to your spine, including the bones, or vertebrae, and spongy intervertebral discs.

The intervertebral discs provide cushioning to your spine along with acting as shock absorbers. They help to give your spine flexibility without allowing the vertebrae to rub together. Because these discs take most of the pressure off of your spine, they’re prone to injury and degeneration.

Disc herniation is one of the injuries that occurs with intervertebral discs. It happens when the soft center of the disc pushes out of the tough exterior layer. This puts pressure on the surrounding nerves, causing symptoms including:

• Pain in your back, arms, and legs
• Weakness in your arms and legs
• Numbness
• Tingling

These symptoms can be mild or debilitating. If you’ve tried conservative treatments without relief of your symptoms, a discectomy can help. This is a surgical procedure that helps alleviate pressure on your nerves, easing your pain.

Understanding the procedure

A discectomy is usually a minimally invasive procedure, meaning our doctors only need to make a few tiny incisions to perform the surgery. You may have general anesthesia for the discectomy, or receive local anesthetic and lighter sedation.

In the operating room, the area where your herniated disc is located is prepped with a cleanser to kill any bacteria on the skin. Our team uses X-ray imaging to make sure they’re in the right area of the herniated disc.

A small incision is made in your back at the level of the affected disc. Our team may need to remove a small amount of your vertebral bone to access the herniated disc. Other tissues, such as ligaments, may also be altered in order to gain access to the disc.

Once the disc is reached, our team uses small tools to remove the area of the disc that’s pressing on the surrounding nerves. Most of the disc is left intact, to keep some cushioning in that area of the spine. However, in some cases, the whole disc needs to be removed.

Once the procedure is done, our team cleans out the incision, removes the instruments, and uses sutures to close the area. A bandage is applied and you’re taken to recovery.

Life after a discectomy: what to expect

You may go home the same day as your procedure, or you might need to stay in the hospital for a night, depending on your health. Once you’re home, you’ll need to take it easy for a few weeks. This means limiting bending and twisting for at least two weeks.

Physical therapy and occupational therapy are a key part of your recovery. These therapists teach you exercises that strengthen your back muscles and improve your flexibility after your procedure. They also give you the tools to allow you to go about your activities without making movements that could damage your back.

You want to keep from lifting too much for the first month after surgery. This usually means no more than five pounds at a time. You can expect to slowly resume your normal activities, but likely won’t be back to 100% until about six weeks after the discectomy.

After you’re fully recovered, you’ll need to take steps to prevent further injury or pain in your back. This includes watching your posture, keeping up with exercise programs, and ergonomics at work and home.

Tired of suffering from pain related to a herniated disc? Don’t hesitate to call one of our offices today to book a consultation. You can also schedule an appointment using our online booking feature.